MLB.com reporters bring you the latest news 24/7

Pedro unsure of Ortiz’s landing spot

BOSTON – David Ortiz’s prediction for Pedro Martinez’s free agency landing spot after the 2004 season was well off the mark: “He ain’t going to no Mets,” Ortiz said at the time.

Martinez, of course, signed with New York. Now, with Ortiz facing his own decision about his playing future, Martinez on Saturday didn’t offer a firm guess about where his former Red Sox teammate would end up.

“I have no idea, but baseball has a dark side, and that’s negotiations,” Martinez said Martinez at a HomeGoods store in Beford, Mass., where he was signing autographs to promote a holiday toy drive. “I think David is going to look for some good in his family, and I think the baseball people are going to try to look for what’s more convenient for the team and fill their pockets. And it’s sad to say it that way, but both of them have to look out for what David wants, what’s more convenient to them, and hopefully they will finish like I did, on good terms, and have a friendship relationship, and actually not to have any sour grapes after everything’s said and done.”

Pedro Martinez signs autographs at a HomeGoods in Bedford, Mass.

Martinez, 40, signed autographs for three and a half hours on Saturday, 90 minutes more than he signed up for. In exchange, fans donated two toys: one to support pediatric cancer patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and another that went to underprivileged youth in the Dominican Republic through the Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation. About 450 people came through in all.

Charity work has always been a hallmark of Martinez’s, and the decision to hold the drive was Martinez’s himself.

“Three weeks ago, he called me and said, ‘I’d really like to do a toy drive,'” said Scott Shuster, president of the Jimmy Fund Council of Greater Boston. “It’s pretty remarkable just because he was that generous with his time.”

“I enjoyed it, because I enjoyed dealing with the people and the people here in New England, they love me and I love them,” Martinez said. “I figured Boston was a perfect place to come and do something like this and also help the kids, I love the kids.”

As respected a former player as there is, Martinez weighed on Boston’s hiring of Bobby Valentine as manager, saying he believes the new skipper will succeed.

“I think he’ll do OK,” Martinez said. “He’s experienced, he knows he has a lot of stars on that team and that he needs to keeps his composure. I think he’s going to be a role model as well, just like those players, and at the same time I think he’s going to be well respected by the players.”

Transparency and respect from his players, Martinez said, were the two things Valentine needs off the bat.

– Evan Drellich

Share this:

Like this:

Related

5 Comments

This a great story. Boston has had and still do have great players. I was a full season ticket holder in San Diego for the NL Padres before I came back to Boston. I was born 83 years ago in Fall River MA

Pedro has always been a very giving person. I recall once in a spring training game, when he finished pitching his 2 innings of work that day, he joined a group from the boys and girls club and bought all of them hotdogs, drinks and Boston hats as a token of appreciation for them cheering for him that cold March morning.

My 20 year old son was raised knowing and appreciating that Pedro Martinez will very likely be the greatest pitcher he was ever blessed enough to witness, and by FAR the greatest pitcher ever to wear a Sox uniform.
I’ve been an avid baseball fan since 1977, and have never, ever seen anyone master his pitches the way Pedro did for Boston.
I hope he makes the MLB HOF, he is owed a spot in the Red Sox HOF!

Start your own MLB.com Blog now!

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.